Combination paper dispenser and exhaust ventilator

ABSTRACT

A VENTILATED PAPER DISPENSER WHEREIN A PAPER ROLL HOLDER IS MOUNTED IN A SHELL HAVING AN OPEN FRONT AND AN AIR INLET IS PROVIDED AT ONE SIDE OF THE OPEN FRONT OTHER THAN THE BOTTOM SIDE AND LEADS TO A CONNECTOR THROUGH WHICH A VENTILATING DEVICE MAY BE CONNECTED.

United States Patent [72] inventors Norman S. McEv/en (50] Field of Search 98/1 42,

437 N.E. 8th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 5523, 5553 Gerald R. A. Fishe, 2031 s.w. 36th Ave., 1 keierencesc'md Fort Lnuderdale, Fla. 33312 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 p 11469 2,l5l,l38 3/1939 Morris 98/1 1 Ffled Jan-8,1970 2,746,798 5/1956 Wardell 242/552 {45] Patented June 28,1971

[54} COMBINATION PAPER DISPENSER AND EXHAUST VENTILATOR 6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

(52] U.S.Cl ..98/l,98/42, 98/115,242/552 [5i 1 Int. Cl F24f 5/00 Primary Examiner-Meyer Perlin Attorney-Settle and Oltman ABSTRACT: A ventilated paper dispenser wherein a paper roll holder is mounted in a shell having an open front and an air inlet is provided at one side of the open front other than the bottom side and leads to a connector through which a ventilating device may be connected.

PATENTEUJUNZBIQYI 3.587.437

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I I f INVENTOR5 NORMAN S, MCEWEN LD R. A. FISHE SETTLE & OLTMAN ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJUN28|Q7| 3,587,437

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-v INVEZNTORS 1 NORMAN S. MCEWEN QERALD R A FISHE SETTLE 8. OLTMAN ATTORNEYS COMBINATION PAPER DISPENSER AND EXHAUST VENTILATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Vents are often provided in the ceiling of rooms tobe ventilated, sometimes in connection with light fixtures. Particularly in bathrooms and kitchens, the ceiling is not an advantageous location for a vent since it is too far from sources of odors. It is believed to be more desireable to provide a vent close to a source of odor, such as a commode, and at the same time design the vent in such a manner that it is hardly noticeable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a ventilated paper dispenser which is particularly useful in bathrooms and kitchens. In a bathroom, by way of example, the paper dispenser may be mounted in a wall close to a commode and therefore is very close to odors emanating from the commode when inuse. A paper holder may similarly be mounted close to a stove in a kitchen. The tying in of the vent with the paper dispenser disguises the vent and makes it almost unnoticeable so that it does not detract from the appearance of the room.

In a preferred embodiment, the ventilated paper dispenser of the invention includes a shell forming a compartment with an open front side, at least one paper roll holder mounted in the shell, and an air inlet opening at the front side of the shell adjacent a side other than its bottom. A connector is provided for use in connecting the inlet with a ventilating device. In the use of the paper dispenser, the ventilator may be turned on to draw air into the inlet without interfering with paper dispensed from the holder. Such paper often hangs over the bottom of the paper dispenser, but with the air inlet located at a side other than the bottom, the air draft does not interfere with the paper.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ventilated paper dispenser constructed such that a draft of air into an inlet part of the dispenser does not interfere with paper stored in the dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ventilated paper dispenser wherein the vent portion of the dispenser is attractively tied in with the structure of the dispenser itself so that the vent does not detract from the appearance of the dispenser.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ventilated paper dispenser which can be mounted efficiently in a wall of a room close to a source of odors.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ventilated paper dispenser wherein a vent opening extends along at least one side edge of the shell of the paper dispenser and is hardly noticeable when viewing the dispenser.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an elevational view of a ventilatingpaper dispenser in accordance with one embodiment of the invention as mounted in a wall;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1',

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a ventilated paper dispenser in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. I;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 1.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the ventilated paper dispenser 10 includes a shell 12 of boxlike configuration which is mounted in a recess in the wall 14 of a room in a building. The shell 12 is closed on all sides except the front 16 which is open. It may be affixed to the wall with screws 13.

Affixed to the shell is a wall means 18 which is in this embodiment a curved or semicylindrical member having flanges 20, 22, 24 and 26 at its outside edges which are affixed to the wall through hollow studs 28 on the rim 30 of the shell 12. Over the flanges 20, 22, 24 and 26 is a. trim member 32 which is a rectangular frame as shown in FIG. I. The trim member 32 and the flanges 20, 22, 24 and 26 may be fastened through the studs 28 with screws 34.

The studs 28 serve to separate or space the flanges 20, 22, 24 and 26 from the rim 30 of the shell such that there is formed an air inlet in the intervening space. This air inlet in the illustrated embodiment extends around three sides of the frame; that is, the top and the two lateral sides, but it would only be necessary to have the air inlet at any one of these three sides. It is important not to have the air inlet below the shell, so a blocking member 36 completely fills the space between flange 20 and rim 30 to prevent any air from being drawn into the space behind wall 18 through the bottom side of the dispenser.

At least one paper roll holder is mounted in the shell, and in the illustrated embodiment there are two roll holders 38 and 40 affixed to the wall 18 with bolts 41. These roll holders 38 and 40 have arms 42, 44, 46 and 48 on which toilet paper rolls may be mounted in the usual manner. Paper which is unwound from toilet paper rolls on the holder 38 tends to hang down over the bottom side of the dispenser, and if air were drawn into the dispenser through an air inlet at the bottom of the dispenser, it would tend to suck the paper over the air inlet and block it off. Thus, no air inlet is provided at the bottom which could interfere with dispensing of the paper. Also, the paper does not interfere with the air inlets at the side and top of the dispenser.

A connector in the form of a short stub 50 communicates with the space between wall 18 and shell 12, and stub 50 is adapted to be connected by conduit 52 to a remote ventilator device (not shown). Since the air inlet at the top and sides of the device also communicates with the space between shell 12 and wall 18, air may be drawn through the inlet into the inner space and out through the connector 50 along the paths indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 2 and 3. The connector 50 is adapted to be connected with conduit 52 to a ventilator device which is in itself not part of the present invention.

The air inlet is located behind the flanges on the partitioning wall 18 and is not visible from the front of the dispenser as indicated in FIG. 1. However, the venting structure of the combination ventilated paper dispenser may have a relatively high capacity to allow as much air as is needed to be drawn through the dispenser and exhausted through a ventilating device as is needed to effectively ventilate a room such as a bathroom or kitchen. Of course, if the device is used in a kitchen, a roll of paper other than toilet paper would be mounted on the roll holders 38 and 40.

FIGS. 4 through 7 illustrate another embodiment of the invention. The ventilated dispenser 60 includes a shell 62 which is boxlike in configuration and which is mounted in a recess in the wall 64. The shell has an open front side surrounded by the rim 66.

Inside the shell 62 a wall means is mounted, and in this embodiment the wall means is in the form of a second shell 68. The shell 68 is of a boxlike configuration and has an open front side with a rim around the front side designated 70. In between the two shells 62 and 68 there is a space generally designated 72, and the left sidewalls of shells 62 and 68 define an opening 74 which forms an inlet at the front left side of the dispenser. This inlet is covered by a grill 76 which is part of a frame 78 attached to the front of the dispenserv The frame and flanges 66 and 70 are attached to the wall with screws 80.

At the left side of the shell 62, there is a connector 82 in the form of a short stub of conduit, and this connector 82 is adapted to be connected through conduit 84 with a remote ventilating device which is in itself not a part of the invention. When the ventilator is operating, air is drawn through the grill 76 and inlet 74 through the space 72 and out the connector 82 on its way to the ventilator thus exhausting air from the room in which the dispenser is provided.

Inside the wall or inner shell 68, there is a paper roll holder 86 for mounting the paper in a recessed condition in the shell 62. The paper roll holder 86 is of a standard type which may be inserted into and removed from openings 88 in the inner shell 68. When a roll of paper such as toilet paper is mounted on the holder 86, it hangs down over the bottom of the dispenser. However, the venting inlet 74 is located at the side of the dispenser, so air drawn into the inlet does not interfere with the paper and the paper does not interfere with the inlet.

Although the vent inlet 74 is visible in the paper dispenser 60, the grill provides a partial covering, and the vent is not so obtrusive as to be objectionable.

Thus, the invention provides a ventilated paper dispenser in which a roll of paper may be mounted, and through which air may be ventilated from a room close to a source of odors such as a commode, and yet the device provides an attractive paper dispenser in which the venting means is not an objectionable feature from an appearance standpoint.

We claim:

l. A ventilated paper dispenser comprising, shell means forming a compartment with an open front side, at least one paper roll holder mounted in said shell means, means forming an air inlet opening at the front side of said shell means adjacent a side thereof other than a bottom side, and connection means communicating with said air inlet for use in connecting the same to a ventilator, whereby in use of said dispenser, a

draft of air into said inlet does not interfere with paper dispensed from said holder.

2. A ventilated paper dispenser comprising, shell means forming a boxlike compartment having an open front side of rectangular or square shape, at least one paper roll holder mounted in said shell means, means forming an air inlet opening at the front side of said shell means adjacent one of the sides of the rectangle or square other than the bottom side, and connection means communicating with said air inlet for use in connecting the same to a ventilator.

3. A ventilated paper dispenser comprising:

a. a roll holder for holding and dispensing of paper by unwinding paper from a paper roll;

b. a shell having an open front;

c. means mounting said roll holder in said shell dispensing of paper at the open front of said shell;

d. means forming a partially confined space in said shell having an inlet opening at the front of said shell; and

e. outlet means for said space for connection through conduit to a ventilator for drawing air through said inlet and said space to said ventilator without interfering with paper dispensed from said roll.

4. A ventilated paper dispenser comprising a shell having an open front, a roll holder mounted in said shell for dispensing of paper from a paper roll, wall means in said shell forming a partially confined space communicating with the front of said shell, and outlet means from said space for communicating with a ventilator to draw air into said compartment from the front of said shell for exhaust through said ventilator without interfering with paper dispensed by said roll holder.

5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4 in which said shell and said wall means define said space and have spaced edges at said front of said shell forming an inlet leading to said space.

6. The dispenser as claimed in claim 5 in which said spaced squared.

for 

